Half to the j



(No Model.)

J. F. FRENCH- PILE HANDLE. 10.281,626.

,Patented Julyv 17,-v 1883.

Fuzz

Ffc. 2.

JJVVENTOR:

WJTNESSES? y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.N

JosIAH E. EEENcH, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNon OE ONE- HALF TO l'IHlh J. BARTON SMITH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

NLE-HANDLE.-

SPEVCIFICATION f0lmi-11g par# Of Lettersratent N0. 281,626,'da.ted July 17, 1883.

' Application inea April 19, lesa. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JosIAH F. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in File -Handles, of which the followingis a specication.

The object of my invention, is lto provide a reversible taper file with a handle from which the le can be readily withdrawn when it has to be reversed.

A further object of my invention i's to determine the extent to which a portion of the file shall project from the handle.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is longitudinal section of my improved le-handle with the le in place; Fig. 2, an enlarged section on the line l 2, Fig. l, andFig'. 3 a longitudinal section of a modification.

In these drawings, F is a three-cornered double-ended file, and-H is a wooden handle, of about half the length of the le. Heretofore in applying handles to les of this class the opening in the handle has been made of such a size that when'either end of the iile was inserted the toothed body of the le would t closely in the wood, and on giving a slight turn to the ille the teeth would become rmly jammed, so that it would be difficult to iWithdraw the iile from the handle, and the latter, after being used for a short time, would be worn out. As the strain came principally on the open end of the handle, the latter had to be provided with a ferrule. To overcome these objections and enable the le to be easily inserted and withdrawn without lacerating the wooden handle, I make the opening in the handle for the toothed body of the file slightly larger than the said body, so that the latter will not fit closely into the wood of the han# dle, but may have its three ycorners free, as shown in Fig. 2. The bottom of the opening, where the smooth point f of the le comes, is of such a size as to form a socket for the said smooth point, which fits it closely. Y

In making the yhandle I prefer to bore a cylindrical hole of a diameter larger than the body ofthe file and about as long as half thetoothed body of the iile, and then at the bottom of this opening Ibore a smaller cylindrical hole or-recess, into which the smooth point of the file is forced, so as to it tightly,

.while the toothed body is freely inlosed in the larger opening in the handle, the latter thus protecting the handof the operator from that half of the le not in use.

As the outer end of the ile is held between moved for reversal Without injury to the wood.

Instead of making the small recess or socket for the point/f of the file cylindrical, it may be made tapering, as shown in Fig. 3, to correspond with the taper of the point.

In using files of this class, and especially Y' for vsharpening saws, it is important that there should be but little variation in the extent to which the points of the dierent iiles usedA shall project from the handle, for thisdistance ydetermines the extent of the stroke by the operator, which should be maintained throughout in ling the different teeth. When the body of the `file is made to t tightly in the opening of the handle the extent of the projection of the point from the handle can never bel determined, owing to slight variations in the sizes of different files, or the contraction of the orifices in the handles by the shrinkage of the wood. When the opening in the handle, however, is made slightly larger than the body of thele and'there is an oriiicein the end of the opening for receiving and retaining the end only of the said file, the distance of the outer point from the handle will always be determinate, or nearly so.

I claim as my invention- The combination of a double-ended file with a handle, H, having an opening for the toothed body of about hali the le larger in diameter than the said toothed body, and having at the end of the said opening a smaller opening or socket of a size to iit the smooth point of the le, substantially as setv forth.

' In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to vthis specification in the presence of two subf j scribing witnesses. Witnesses: J. F. FRENCH.

HARRY L. AsHENEELTER, I HARRY SMITH. 

